Mediterranean Shipping Co (MSC) is spending $170m on a pair of 16-year-old post-panamax boxships in a benchmark deal that shows the liner giant's optimistic view of the market.

The Swiss operator has snapped up the 8,814-teu sisterships Northern Jade and Northern Julie (both built 2005) — that it is currently chartering — for about $85m each, according to UK brokers.